Perhaps you know the famous poem by Mary Stevenson (1939) called, “Footprints in the Sand.” It goes like this…
“One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.
This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. ‘LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me?’
The LORD replied, ‘My precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.’”
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I wrote this blog entry on the 1-year anniversary date of my mom’s stroke. I was reflecting on what happened a year ago and the events that followed – including her death two months later. As I looked back on my journal and photos from last summer, a flood of memories and emotions came over me, and so I wanted to share some thoughts in hindsight on that experience in my life.
We don’t often stop and ruminate on how precious and fragile life can be until something happens to remind us of that reality. In my very first blog entry for this website (Oct 2024), I also wrote about my mom’s stroke and death and called it “Difficult Life Moments.” The midnight phone call I received from the ER doc notifying me that my mom was in the hospital sent me into one of those difficult life moments. They’re also called “storms of life,” and we all go through them. In fact, someone once said there are two kinds of people in this world: those who are in a storm of life, and those who will be soon. I agree with that wisdom!
The events of that day in June 2024 changed my life forever. I sat by my mom’s bedside in the ICU experiencing the normal range of emotions when a loved one is injured, sick, or dying. I prayed for healing. I prayed for strength (hers and mine)! I was even mad at God for not taking her home to heaven (rather than allowing her to be in an ICU bed, unable to move, speak, or communicate). I asked God WHY? In fact, I was the guy from the poem looking at only one set of footprints and wondering where are you, Lord?
Theologically, God rarely answers the “why” question. Instead, He says, “I’ll be with you no matter what.” He also says, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.” Essentially, He promises to be with us through whatever we’re going through, and He gives us His strength, His presence, and His resources throughout. Thankfully, that’s more than enough.
God doesn’t always change our circumstances to get us out of difficult life moments. In fact, sometimes it’s quite the opposite. He might actually orchestrate your circumstances and mine for reasons we cannot see or understand (yet). It may take some time – like a year – to finally be able to look back and see what He was doing behind the scenes during that storm. One thing is very clear to me now that I have hindsight: An important relationship in my life was strengthened during the weeks following my mom’s stroke. I saw Romans 8:28 play out in my life, and I can attest to the truthfulness of God’s presence and trustworthiness. God used a very difficult experience to bring about some healing and restoration in an important area of my life. And for that I praise Him.
Therefore, we don’t have to be afraid. Fear Not! is the most repeated command in the Bible for a reason. Throughout the Scriptures, God repeatedly tells us that he loves us and cares for us and that He will be there through it all with us. You can count on it.
So maybe we need to stay calm, trust in God more, and leave it in His hands to walk with us and to do what only He can do. And sometimes… He will carry us when needed.
Be still and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10)